Corn crib structure



June 29, 1965 v. G. SHOUP CORN CRIB STRUCTURE Filed July 16, 1962 IN V EN TOR. V/c T02 6. 5/70UP @flm A TTOP/VE Y United States Patent 3,191,723 CORN C STRUCTURE Victor G. Shoup, Middlebury, Ind, assignor to Pioneer Manufacturing Company, Middlebury, Ind, a corporation of Indiana Filed Early 16, 1%2, Ser. No. 2%,918 6 Claims. (Cl. 1893) This invention relates to improvements in corn crib structures, and more particularly to corn cribs which are made from bar mesh panels secured together to form a cylindrical reticulated wall structure of a corn crib.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel joint structure for interconnecting bar mesh panels quickly and accurately to provide a strong joint therebetween.

A further object is to provide a corn crib structure wherein bar mesh panels are interconnected in marginally overlapping relation by metal clips fitting around horizontal bars of adjacent panels and of digital construction to provide portions interposed between adjacent vertical bars of the interconnected panels.

A further object is to provide a joint structure for bar mesh crib forming panels wherein the joint is formed of sheet metal bent to U-shape with the opposite legs thereof slotted to receive vertical bars of the adjacent panels while the sheet metal parts are folded around adjacent horizontal bars of interconnected panels.

Other objects will be apparent from the following specification.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a corn crib formed of bar mesh panels;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the means of interconnecting adjacent bar mesh panels at overlapping marginal portions thereof;

FIG. 3 is an end view of a sheet metal joint structure illustrating its cooperative relation to the parts adjacent bar mesh panels in the initial assembly thereof;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to P16. 3 but illustrating the metal joint units in final panel assembled form;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a sheet metal clip or joint unit;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sheet metal clip or joint unit as viewed from a different angle; and

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the metal clip or joint unit, showing its relation to adjacent bar mesh panel parts.

Referring to the drawing which illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 19 designates the circular base of a corn crib having a substantially cylindrical wall 12 formed of bar mesh panels and in turn surmounted by a frusto conical roof portion 14. The crib roof is preferably provided with a top center cupola portion In accommodating flow of air into the interior of the crib or flow from the interior of the crib as through a central chimney portion connected therewith (not shown) as well understood in the ar The cylindrical reticulated wall portion 12 of the crib is formed of a plurality of bar mesh panels which are preferably characterized by vertical bars 26 secured in predetermined spaced parallel relation and horizontal bars 22. In the preferred form the bars 29 and 22 are Welded together at their joints. The bar mesh panels are preferably of predetermined dimensions which usually are elongated vertically and comparatively narrow. In the preferred form the vertical bars 23 will be spaced apart uniformly at approximately two inch spacing and may be formed of wire No. 4 gauge. The horizontal bars are preferably of No. 1 gauge and are spaced a predetermined distance, such as six inches. It will be understood, however, that the vertical bars 2t? may be spaced apart from one and one-half inches to two and one-half inches and 3,l%l,723 Patented June 29, 1965 "ice that the horizontal bars 22 may be spaced apart from four inches to eight inches. A normal size of the individual panels is live feet by eight feet, although this size is illustrative and not intended to be limiting. In each of the bar mesh panels, the bars 20 will preferably normally lie in the same plane, and the bars 22 of each panel will likewise lie in a common plane. The panels may be bent laterally along the bars 22 to conform to the desired overall part-cylindrical configuration of the wall 12.

The bar mesh panels are arranged with adjacent marginal portions of adjacent panels partially overlapping, as illustrated in FlGS. 2 and 7, and these overlapping portions are interconnected by metal clips 3% as best seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The metal clips are preferably formed of sheet metal of any selected gauge and are bent at 32 to substantially U-shape, having a narrow leg 34 and a wide leg 36. The bend 32 is on a radius which will fit snugly around the horizontal bars 22, and the width of the narrow leg 34 will preferably be approximately equal to the spacing between adjacent horizontal bars 22 of adjacent panels to be interconnected, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The wide leg 36 will be of substantially greater width and preferably of a width twice the width of the narrow leg 34, or more. Each of the legs 34 and 36 has notches or slots formed therein, and said notches or slots in the two legs are in register. In the form shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the narrow leg 34 has a shallow notch or slot 49 which terminates spaced from the bend 32 and a deeper notch or groove 42, said notches preferably being formed transversely of the bend 32, and the deep notch or slot 42 terminating spaced from said bend a distance less than the shallow notch id. A shallow slot 44 is formed in the wide leg with its inner end terminating spaced from the bend 32 substantially the same distance as the spacing of the termination of the slot 49 from said bend. A deeper slot 46 is formed in the wide leg in register with the slot 42, with its inner end terminating spaced from the bend 32 a distance substantially equal to the spacing of the inner end of slot :2 from said bend. Where two slots are provided, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the spacing thereof will be such that the distance between the centers of adjacent slots, such as between slots 44 and 46, will be one-half the spacing between the centers of adjacent vertical bars 20. The slots will be so formed in the clip that the spacing from each end edge thereof to the edge of the adjacent slot will preferably be substantially equal to the spacing between adjacent slots.

In the use of the clips to interconnect adjacent bar mesh panels, the panels will be so arranged that adjacent horizontal bars 22 of each will be separated by the vertical bars 20 of one of the panels, as best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, and the adjacent panels will overlap at their vertical'margins, with the vertical bars of each panel at the overlap substantially equally spaced to two vertical bars of the other panel, as seen in FIG. 2. The arrange ment is such that the clip 34) can be applied to the overlapping portions of adjacent panels in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3, with the head 32 fitting snugly around a horizontal bar 22 of one panel, and the narrow leg 34 preferably underlying the horizontal bars 22 of both panels at the overlap. The wide leg 36 of the clip extends over the two horizontal bars 22 and projects therefrom, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The deep slots 4-2 and 46 accommodate one vertical bar 20, that is, the bar adjacent to bar 22' which engages the bend 32. The shallower slots 4t) and 44 accommodate the adjacent vertical bar 26 of the other panel. While the clip is held in the position shown in FIG. 3, with the adjacent marginal portions of the two panels snugly arrangedand in contact, the free ends of the tongues of the wide leg 36 at 38 are bent downwardly around the horizontal part 22 of the panel enemas to be connected to the panel whose horizontal bar'is engaged by the bend 32 and thereby the panels are firmly linked in selected orientation, as seen in FIGS. 2 and 4.

It will be understood that the overlapping marginal portions of adjacent bar mesh panels are interconnected at a plurality of vertical points thereof and, if desired, may be connected at each pair of horizontal bars 22. The clips will be formed of sheet metal of sufficient strength to resist deforming thereof under the pressure of contents of the crib in a manner to permit releaseof disconnection of the lapped marginal panel portions. It will also be seen that in the preferred arrangement the width of the tongues 38 will be such that each tongue will be interposed between and preferably substantially in contact with a vertical bar 20 of each of the two panels. Thus any stress tending to separate the panels in the plane of the panels is resisted by the edge strength of the tongues of the clip in their plane. Since outward pressure upon the panels of the crib by the contents of the crib must necessarily entail a component of relative movement of the crib panels in their own plane, it will be seen that the clip resists such pressure in both directions, namely radially of the crib and circumferentially of the crib, by virtue of the construction. In other words, the looped form of the clip resists the radial component of separation of adjacent panels, and the edge contact of the tongues with adjacent vertical bars of different panels resists circumferential separation or movement of the adjacent bar mesh panels. Consequently, a strong connection between parts is provided.

An alternative construction of clip is illustrated in FIG. 7, wherein the clip St) is of greater length than the clip illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6, so that the wide leg 36 thereof is provided with two deep slots 46' and one intermediate shallow slot 44'. This construction provides for a greater overlap of the adjacent panels and increases the strength of the joint between panels proportionately. It will be understood that other forms of clip may be utilized in which the clips are of still greater length to accommodate greater overlaps, or in which the clips have only one slot. In each instance the strength of the joint is proportional to the length and gauge of the clip, and the same advantages of resistance to separation of the, connected panels, both radially and circumferentially, as described above, is provided.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described,,it will be understood that changes in the construction may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In combination, a pair of bar mesh panels, each having substantially similarly arranged angularly disposed interconnected sets of metalbars, said panels being arranged in marginally overlapping position with bars extending in one direction substantially registering, and with the bars of said panel extending angularly to said registering bars being arranged out of register, a sheet inetal clip of substantially U-shape defining legs encircling registering bars at said overlap, said clip having at least one slot in each leg, said slots being in register and receiving a bar of one panel which extends angularly to the encircled bar of said panel and which slots define at least two fingers in each leg, the outer edges of the two fingers of each leg being interposed between and substan tially engaging adjacent bars of the other panel which extend angularly to the encircled bars of the other panel, whereby said clip substantially prevents relative movement of said panels lengthwise of said registering bars and prevents separation of the lapped portions of said panels.

2. In combination, a pair of bar mesh panels each having similarly interconnected sets of substantially horizontal bars and sets of substantially vertical bars, said bars being arranged in marginally lapped relation, with the bars of similar sets in register and bars of the other sets staggered, and a sheet metal clip of substantially U-shape in cross-section having spaced legs of different widths, each leg having a plurality of fingers spaced by parallel slots therein extending from the free end thereof toward said bend and each registering with a slot in the other leg, said clip being bent around said registering bars and straddling at each slot thereof one bar of a panel extending angularly to said registering bars, adjacent clip fingers being interposed between and substantially engaging adjacent straddle bars of one panel and the intervening straddled bar of the other panel.

3. In a corn crib structure having a bottom, a roof and a substantially cylindrical reticulated wall, said reticulated wall comprising a plurality of bar mesh panels each havin similarly arranged interconnected sets of substantially vertical bars and substantially horizontal bars, said panels being arranged with their vertical marginal portions in lapped relation and with horizontal bars of adjacent lapped panel portions in' register and the vertical bars of adjacent panels staggered, the improvement comprising a plurality of vertically spaced metal clips encircling registering horizontal bars at each of said lapped portions, each clip having legs and a slot in each leg receiving a vertical bar of at least one panel and defining fingers positioned between adjacent vertical bars of the other panel and each clip having an outer edge positioned adjacent and substantially in contact with a vertical bar of the other panel, whereby relative movement of adjacent panels lengthwise of said horizontal bars is restricted and separation of overlapping panels is prevented.

4. In a corn crib structure having a bottom, a roof and a substantially cylindrical reticulated wall, said reticulated wall comprising a plurality of bar mesh panels each having similarlyarranged interconnected sets of substantially vertical bars and substantially horizontal bars, said panels being arranged with their vertical marginal portions in lapped relation with horizontal bars of adjacent panels in register and with vertical bars of adjacent panels in staggered relation, the improvement comprising a plurality of U-shaped metal clips defining legs encircling registering horizontal bars at vertically spaced points of each of said lapped portions, each clip having a slot in each leg receiving a vertical bar of one panel and defining tongues, said tongues being of a width substantially equal to the spacing between the vertical bar fitting in said clip slot and the adjacent vertical bars of the other panel at opposite sides of said slot-received bar.

5. In a corn crib structure having a bottom, a roof and a substantially cylindrical reticulated wall, said reticulated wall comprising a plurality of bar mesh panels each having similarly arranged interconnected sets of substantially vertical bars and substantially horizontal bars, said panels being arranged with their vertical marginal portions in lapped relation with horizontal bars of adjacent panels in register and with vertical bars of adjacent panels in staggered relation, the improvement comprising a plurality of bent metal clips having legs and encircling registering horizontal bars at vertically spaced points of each of said lapped portions, each clip leg having a plurality of slots defining spaced tongues, said slots receiving alternate staggered vertical bars of adjacent panels and said tongues being of a width substantially equal to the spacing of staggered vertical bars of adjacent panels at said lapped portions to be interposed therebetween and between and in substantial engagement with vertical bars of at least one panel to prevent relative movement of lapped panels lengthwise of said horizontal bars and separation of said overlapping panel portions.

6. In a corn crib structure having a bottom, a roof and a substantially cylindrical recticulatecl wall, said reticulated wall comprising a plurality of bar mesh panels each having similarly arranged interconnected sets of substantially vertical bars and substantially horizontal bars, said panels being arranged with their vertical marginal portions in lapped relation with horizontal bars of adjacent panels in register and with vertical bars of adjacent panels in staggered relation, the improvement comprising a plurality of metal clips encircling registering horizontal bars at vertically spaced points of each of said lapped portions, each clip being formed of sheet metal bent to U-shape to provide a narrow leg and a wide leg, said legs having registering slots extending transversely from the ends thereof to receive two vertical panel bars and define tongues, the tongues of said wide leg being bent around said narrow leg, at least two tongues of said wide leg being interposed between and in substantial en- 15 gagernent with adjacent vertical bars of one panel at opposite sides of an intervening bar of the other panel fitting in the slot between said last named two tongues.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 337,259 3/86 Gholson 189-35 X 1,054,803 3/13 Stiver 189-3 3,096,860 7/63 Sokol 189-3 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,246,483 10/60 France.

612,776 11/48 Great Britain.

RICHARD W. COOKE, JR., Primary Examiner.

JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A PAIR OF BAR MESH PANELS, EACH HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY SIMILARLY ARRANGED ANGULARLY DISPOSED INTERCONNECTED SETS OF METAL BARS, SAID PANELS BEING ARRANGED IN MARGINALLY OVERLAPPING POSITION WITH BARS EXTENDING IN ONE DIRECTION SUBSTANTIALLY REGISTERING, AND WITH THE BARS OF SAID PANEL EXTENDING ANGULARLY TO SAID REGISTERING BARS BEING ARRANGED OUT OF REGISTER, A SHEET METAL CLIP OF SUBSTANTIALLY U-SHAPE DEFINING LEGS ENCIRCLING REGISTERING BARS AT SAID OVERLAP, SAID CLIPS HAVING AT LEAST ONE SLOT IN EACH LEG, SAID SLOTS BEING IN REGISTER AND RECEIVING A BAR OF ONE PANEL WHICH EXTENDS ANGULARLY TO THE ENCIRCLED BAR OF SAID PANEL AND WHICH SLOTS DEFINE AT LEAST TWO FINGERS IN EACH LEG, THE OUTER EDGES OF THE TWO FINGERS OF EACH LEG BEING INTERPOSED BETWEEN AND SUBSTANTIALLY ENGAGING ADJACENT BARS OF THE OTHER PANEL WHICH EXTEND ANGULARLY TO THE ENCIRLED BARS OF THE OTHER PANEL, WHEREBY SAID CLIP SUBSTANTIALLY PREVENTS RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF SAID PANELS LENGTHWISE OF SAID REGISTERING BARS AND PREVENTS SEPARATION OF THE LAPPED PORTIONS OF SAID PANELS. 